


Stark Naked and Dripping Wet

by Anonymous



Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Blow Jobs, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Gurjin is charming and confident, M/M, Non-Explicit Sex, Pre-Canon, Rian is anxious and confused but no less horny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:47:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21811063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: The guards’ bathing chamber was heavenly. Except when your best friend was lounging in the water and he was grinning, watching your every move as you undressed. What was Gurjin doing? Rian wanted to slap him. Or actually …Gurjin invites Rian to a bath alone so that Rian may finally realise his feelings for Gurjin and Gurjin’s feelings for him. And it works – far better than Gurjin expected.
Relationships: Gurjin/Rian (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23
Collections: Anonymous





	Stark Naked and Dripping Wet

**Author's Note:**

> A.k.a. ‘the Gurjian bath fic’. Prompted by a sketch by [JaySketchin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaySketchin).

Rian was uncomfortable.

He and Gurjin, even though they would both have sorely needed a bath, had declined the other guards’ invitation to join them and had instead gone off exploring the Castle together – something they often did when they were off duty, and sometimes even when they weren’t, for even as long as they both had been here, they had not yet seen all of the areas that Gelfling were allowed, let alone those where they weren’t. It had seemed like such a nice idea when later, over dinner, Gurjin suggested they take a bath together in the evening, pointing out that it would be more relaxing than being there with a dozen other Gelfling – most of the other guards would either be on duty or sleeping. Rian had been sweaty and exhausted, craving some rest, peace and quiet, and cleanliness, so he had agreed immediately, thinking nothing of it.

Now, though, he was starting to second-guess his decision.

After supper, Rian had stayed behind for a while, chatting to some of the other guards, while Gurjin had left immediately. When Rian had come back to their shared quarters to prepare, he had run into Gurjin in the hallway, headed for the guards’ bath chamber. It had taken a while before Rian could follow him.

The bathing chamber was big. Nothing in the Castle was really small, of course, but this room didn’t deserve the name ‘chamber’ at all. It was a cave as big as the guards’ mess hall. Most of it was taken up by a large pool of water, which at first glance looked just like any other underground pool one might find. Except there was no dirt; the ground and sides were solid rock, and the water was always warm and clean. None of the guards knew why; but if you were used to bathing in a small bathtub which you can’t even submerge yourself completely in, or in cold rivers, or pools which on bad days made you feel like you were dirtier coming out than going in, this place was heavenly.

Except when your best friend was lounging in the water, leaning on the pile of rocks stacked against the wall on the far side, and he was grinning, watching your every move as you undressed.

Rian tried to ignore it, but by the time he turned to step into the water, he felt more exposed than he’d ever felt bathing together with a dozen other guards. What was Gurjin doing? Rian wanted to slap him.

Or actually …

Gurjin’s arms were resting on the rocks to his sides; his chest was exposed, and so were his closed gills. Rian found himself oddly fascinated by them, the lines on the sides of his neck. It wasn’t like he’d never seen them before; Gurjin and Rian had both changed clothes, and even bathed, often enough with the other one present that the appearance of their naked bodies shouldn’t be a surprise to each other. But it was different this time. He caught his gaze moving down, staring at the rippling water in front of Gurjin as if trying to see the rest of his body—

 _No!_ Rian thought. _I’m not going there._ He tore his gaze away and instead looked down into the water right in front of him, watching his feet as he lazily waded in the general direction of Gurjin, trying to get his thoughts in order.

Had Gurjin looked at him this way before and he’d been oblivious to it?

Was this the reason for Gurjin inviting him to a bath together?

What should he do? What did he even _want_ to do now?

He should be horrified. He should be outraged. He should be telling Gurjin to stop it. These were the rational things to do. But now he found himself oddly unfazed, as if he didn’t actually mind that Gurjin – apparently – had a thing for him.

Gurjin spoke, for the first time since Rian had entered. ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked, in the casual, yet concerned tone that he always seemed to have when asking that question.

Rian tried to put some of his thoughts into words, into words that he could actually say to Gurjin in a situation like this, but all he could manage was, ‘I don’t know.’

‘Feeling uncomfortable alone with me?’ Gurjin asked, this question more teasing and amused, and some of the awkwardness was lifted.

‘Yes,’ Rian said, latching on to the familiar banter. ‘You, as a Drenchen, have the advantage in the water, so I’m terrified you’ll use this moment of vulnerability to kill me,’ he said, looking Gurjin in the eyes. ‘I’m trembling with fear.’

‘Is that so?’ Gurjin’s eyes narrowed, and he slid gracefully into the water. Rian didn’t have the time to try and spot him under the surface before his legs were snatched out from underneath him and he was dragged under, struggling and flailing. Almost as soon as his legs had been grabbed, they were free again; trying to orient himself, he opened his eyes and looked around. The room was lit somewhat dimly, so Gurjin was hard to spot against the stone – and, to be fair, he _was_ a natural swimmer and diver, whereas Rian had never been very good at either.

He finally sorted his body parts and his orientation out and surfaced, still looking for a sign of Gurjin. He finally spotted him again, standing back on the rocks in front of the wall. How’d he got back there so fast? He really was a good swimmer …

Gurjin was laughing heartily, and Rian found himself chuckling, too. It was relieving, he realised – here, there was no malice on either side nor any danger to any of them, just some good fun. And yet …

Rian knew that Gurjin as he was now wasn’t so different from what he was used to seeing. So why was it that, standing by the water stark naked and dripping wet, it felt like Rian had never quite seen him before? Not like this. His eyes followed the little droplets of water that were running down his chest, joining with other droplets, down his body—

‘I think you’re lying, by the way,’ said Gurjin, still grinning. ‘You’re not worrying I’ll kill you. You’re worrying you can’t control yourself, what with me being as hot as I am.’

Rian snorted at that almost automatically, and then, with a sinking feeling, his brain caught up and he wondered whether Gurjin had been reading his mind. He shook himself to try to get rid of the thought. It stuck. _Did_ he find Gurjin that attractive? Most of the guards agreed that Gurjin was one of the best-looking ones among them. It was just a fact. Rian had always thought the same, but he’d always assumed it wasn’t a special, personal attraction, more of a general judgment. Now he wasn’t so sure any more.

It certainly did not help that Gurjin climbed back into the water and waded towards him, his eyes meeting Rian’s.

Oh no. He wasn’t prepared for this! He wanted desperately to think of a solution, to think of something to say, something to do, that would give him an escape from this, or time to sort out his feelings, but now, Gurjin, despite still being five feet away, seemed to fill his entire vision, his entire mind. All he could see, all he could think about, was Gurjin’s eyes, Gurjin’s gills, Gurjin’s chest, Gurjin’s hair, Gurjin’s ears, Gurjin’s lips, and he was coming for him.

‘Stop,’ Rian finally managed. ‘Don’t come any closer.’

Gurjin cocked his head and kept walking, albeit slower than before. ‘Why?’

‘Because,’ Rian said, and then he hesitated, struggling to find the words to describe what he felt without revealing too much or saying something he didn’t mean. ‘Because,’ – Gurjin was still coming closer – ‘because,’ – Rian could feel the waves from his movements now – ‘because,’ – _Aughra save me, I can’t think straight any more!_ he thought, and then he thought: _I guess I also_ am _not straight any more._ ‘Because,’ he said again, and somehow he even managed to realise how stupid he was sounding, repeating the same word, before Gurjin came to a halt in front of him, his eyes fixed on Rian, Rian’s eyes fixed on his.

‘Because,’ Rian said, and before any of them could say another word, and before he could stop himself, he grabbed Gurjin’s head and pressed his lips to his.

_Oh no I’m kissing my best friend oh no his lips are so soft and warm oh no I’m not straight oh no I want more—_

He broke away, and Gurjin laughed and said, ‘Ha-ha! I was right!’

‘About what?’

‘You _were_ afraid you can’t control yourself. First thing you do when I come near you is snog me? Seriously?’

He’d done something wrong, hadn’t he? ‘I’m sorry,’ he said sincerely, letting go of Gurjin, taking a step back. ‘I don’t know what I was thinking.’ It was true. Though it might’ve been more accurate to say he wasn’t thinking at all.

‘Hey, hey,’ Gurjin said. ‘Don’t be sorry, all right?’ He smiled, and his eyes narrowed. ‘Did you like it?’

‘Er,’ Rian said. Did he? ‘Yeah. It was good.’ _Good?_ It was the best thing he’d had happen to him in half a trine! And he called it _good_? Seriously?

Gurjin said nothing, but kissed him again. And this time, he grabbed Rian’s back and closed the distance and Rian felt his body pressed against Gurjin’s. He shuddered as Gurjin began sliding his hand down his back, and it was all he could do to keep his body still. Even so, he didn’t want it to end, and he found himself wrapping his arms around Gurjin somewhat awkwardly and trying to pull him even closer.

It was Gurjin who broke the kiss and gently pushed them apart, keeping his hands on Rian’s shoulders and his eyes on his. Rian found himself already missing the closeness, the physical contact.

‘Blimey, Gurjin,’ he said. ‘How long have you been wanting to do that for?’

‘Ages,’ said Gurjin. ‘Since a couple weeks after you moved in with me.’

‘You’ve fancied me for half a _trine_?’ He’d never have guessed! At least not until now. But now … now everything was different anyway. Everything had changed. Or had it, really? Was it really that Rian had not had any feelings of this kind for Gurjin before today, or had he simply suppressed them so far, or failed to interpret them?

‘Why’d you only make a move now?’ Rian asked.

Gurjin snorted at that. ‘You think I haven’t been trying to give you hints? You think I haven’t been trying to find out if you felt the same way? Yesmit, Rian, you’re as observant as the Lord skekOk without his glasses!’

Oh. Well, if he couldn’t even figure his own feelings out, it was no wonder he couldn’t take a hint from others. Come to think of it, though …

‘So,’ Rian began hesitantly, ‘so every time you acted like we were a couple, when I thought you were joking … you were trying to give me a hint? Like the other day, when Sali asked if we’d had fun’ – they’d both been somewhat dishevelled and she’d said it with an expression that left no room for interpretation as to what kind of ‘fun’ she meant – ‘and you said, “Not that kind of fun, _unfortunately_ ”?’

Gurjin grinned. ‘Now you’re getting it.’

Now that he recalled the insinuation, and with Gurjin’s ‘unfortunately’ echoing in his mind, he could not help but imagine it happening. And the more he tried to push the thought away, the more it seemed like his whole body was hell-bent on making it a reality right now.

And so, it seemed, was Gurjin. His hands were sliding off Rian’s shoulders, down his sides, coming to a rest on his hips, and his eyes followed.

How could something so simple make him feel so—so—

‘Gurjin?’ He found that his voice was shaking, and so were his hands and his legs, and, come to think of it, everything else, too. His breathing was fast and shallow, his heart beating madly.

‘Would you like me to—?’ Gurjin asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Rian didn’t know exactly what Gurjin was planning, but his body said yes, definitely. And he saw no reason to disagree. Some small part of his mind was raging – _Are you insane?_ it screamed, and, _You’re ruining your friendship!_ but it was tiny, and far away, and he wasn’t going to argue with it. All that mattered was Gurjin – right here, right now, about to touch him, _make love_ to him – and if there was one thing he knew, it was that he wanted it.

‘Yes,’ he said, and he felt both panic and a huge wave of relief at having spoken it out loud. ‘Yes,’ he repeated. ‘Whatever it is you’re doing …’

Gurjin’s eyes lit up, and he gave the tiniest chuckle. ‘You’ll see,’ he whispered. ‘Trust me.’ With these words, Gurjin gently let himself drop, first his shoulders, then his face sinking into the water, with only just his hair left peeking out. No doubt he was breathing with his gills now. And Rian was getting a very clear idea of what he was about to do.

‘Gurjin,’ he moaned, ‘stop.’

Gurjin let go of him and his head popped up on the surface with a concerned expression. ‘What’s the matter?’

Rian took a few more heavy breaths, trying to calm himself, before saying, ‘It’s too much. I’m already so close …’ He didn’t want it to end, not this way, not so quickly.

Gurjin snorted. ‘Seriously? I’ve barely started!’

Rian felt a little offended at that. It wasn’t like he was doing it on purpose!

‘Well, if you don’t want that,’ said Gurjin, standing back up, the grin coming back to his face, ‘maybe you’d like to return the favour?’

Rian’s breath caught, and several seconds passed before he was able to answer, ‘But … I can’t breathe underwater.’

‘Let’s go somewhere dry, then,’ Gurjin said, placed a hand on Rian’s waist and began half pushing, half pulling him with him, back towards the exit, to where their towels and their clothes lay. Rian gladly let him. The feeling of Gurjin’s strong hand and arm around him was too good to let go just for the sake of demonstrating that he was capable of wading himself.

Gurjin moved past him and let go, heaving himself out of the water and sitting on the ledge, propping himself up with his arms behind him, his legs apart, his feet still touching the water. ‘Come on, then,’ he said. ‘Don’t be shy.’

‘I—’ Rian stammered, ‘I never said I wanted to.’

‘Well, do you want to or not? Don’t leave me hanging like this!’

There it was again. Banter. Some part of his mind must’ve been brought back from the abyss by that, some part for which their friendship was still as it had always been, and it was this part which now seized the opportunity and answered, ‘Well, I don’t see anything hanging.’

Gurjin broke into laughter at that, and it infected Rian, and then they were both laughing their heads off. They calmed down a little, but at some point Rian caught Gurjin’s eye and his expression, and immediately, a new burst of laughter came, and he could hear Gurjin cracking up again, too.

When eventually they were both in tears and holding their sides, Rian’s panic was gone, and his mind seemed clearer, and – despite the fact that their friendship had taken this unexpected turn into unknown territory – he felt content.

Gurjin, now lying on his back, said, ‘Guess we’re both easy to please, in one way or another.’

Rian did not have the energy left to give more than a little huff of laughter at that, but he answered, ‘Well, it’s not my fault if you give me such a good setup line! “Don’t leave me hanging,” seriously?’

‘I swear, I didn’t mean it literally,’ Gurjin said. ‘Though I suppose if you’d hesitated for much longer, I might as well have.’

Rian snorted. ‘I don’t believe you.’ No way that would’ve happened while Rian was naked in front of him.

Yesmit, yesterday he would not even have been able to think of thinking thoughts like this!

‘No, you’re right,’ said Gurjin. ‘I was lying. So what do you say?’ he asked, sitting up again. ‘Do you want to’ – his voice grew exaggeratedly dramatic – ‘ _save_ me from my _misery_?’

He felt another rush of excitement and nervousness at this, and in his head, he answered, _There’s nothing I want more,_ but he hesitated. He’d never done it before. How would it feel? What if he did something wrong?

‘You have to tell me how,’ he said.

Gurjin raised an eyebrow. ‘What’s there to tell you? Just do what I did, it’s not hard. – _Difficult!_ It’s not _difficult_. Happy now?’

Rian didn’t quite understand why Gurjin had corrected himself, so he ignored it. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘I guess I’ll give it a try.’ He tentatively approached Gurjin.

‘You can’t do anything wrong,’ Gurjin said. ‘Except … bite me, I guess. Or choke. Or bore me to death. But no pressure, really.’

‘How very reassuring.’ Rian’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. He was getting nervous again, and Gurjin’s teasing did nothing to alleviate it.

Gurjin spoke again, with his voice softer and more serious. ‘Hey, Rian. You know I’m just teasing, right?’

‘I know,’ he said. ‘But what if I _do_ get it wrong?’

‘You won’t,’ Gurjin said. ‘I trust you. Don’t worry.’

Hearing it from Gurjin’s own mouth was, for some reason, much more comforting than just telling this to himself, and Rian found himself relaxing a little.

 _All right. I can do this,_ he told himself, raising his hands and stepping forward between Gurjin’s legs.

‘All right,’ said Gurjin, ‘that’s enough.’

Rian let him go and stepped back. ‘Something wrong?’ The anxiety hit him like a brick. ‘Am I doing it wrong?

‘No,’ said Gurjin. ‘You’re fine.’ Rian breathed a sigh of relief, and Gurjin said, ‘It’s just … my arms.’

‘Right,’ said Rian. Of course they’d be getting tired. It wasn’t exactly the best of positions they’d chosen, anyway. ‘How about,’ Rian suggested, ‘I join you up there?’

‘Nah,’ said Gurjin, slipped back into the water, pulled him in, one hand on his back, one hand under his ear, and kissed him. And Rian kissed him back, grabbing Gurjin’s shoulder blades, pulling him as close as he could. He wondered whether his lips would get any rest any time soon, but the feeling of Gurjin’s lips on his was just too good to let go.

And yet it wasn’t enough. He thought of a certain other thing Gurjin’s lips had done not all too long ago, and though it had overwhelmed him earlier, he now craved for it to happen again.

He gently pulled away and asked Gurjin if he’d finish what he’d started.

Gurjin seemed surprised, but his still parted lips cracked a smile, and he breathed, ‘Only if you’ll do it for me first.’

It was the best thing he’d ever suggested. No sooner than Rian had said ‘Yes,’ Gurjin lifted him up, turned around, and set him down on the edge of the water, then climbed out after him, lying down, his feet next to Rian, and said, ‘Come on, then. Gimme your best.’

Rian wasn’t about to waste any more time, and so he did. And even though it was still an unfamiliar sensation, he found he enjoyed it; Gurjin’s hands on his head, his little sighs and moans, the way he moved beneath him … and then Gurjin’s hands tensed up, digging into his hair, and he sucked in a sharp breath and released it in a deep groan while he kept pressing against Rian ever harder and faster; and Rian felt the movements against his head, against his arms, in his hands, in his mouth; until Gurjin lay still, his hands to his sides, panting and sighing, twitching occasionally.

The taste would take some getting used to, Rian thought as he moved forward and crawled over Gurjin. He was still eager for Gurjin to return the favour, but he could understand if he needed a respite.

Gurjin’s eyes were closed and he was smiling. Rian planted a quick kiss to his lips and asked, ‘How was I?’

‘Fantastic,’ said Gurjin without opening his eyes. ‘You’ve deserved it.’

‘Deserved what?’ Rian asked, already knowing the answer.

Gurjin opened his eyes, and they flashed as he said, ‘My revenge.’

Rian rolled over gently to lie down next to Gurjin, eagerly awaiting his move. And now, finally, Gurjin rose to his knees and moved over, and now they were lying in the same positions as before, with the roles reversed; now it was Gurjin’s turn to please him.

And once he did … ‘Yesmit, Gurjin,’ Rian panted. The Drenchen was giving him everything now, with his lips and his tongue and his hands, and as much as Rian tried to hold on, to revel in it a bit longer, he was soon over the edge. Oh, how he had ached for this relief … It crashed over him like a wave and dragged him under, drowning him in pleasure.

All too soon, it was over, and he was spent and exhausted, lying still. Gurjin still kept going, and Rian let him be; it didn’t give him the same level of excitement, but it was still pleasant. And as he slowly relaxed, he found himself thinking that this, this was perfect. If only he could keep lying here, in this moment …

He didn’t even notice he had been drifting off until he felt Gurjin’s hand under his ear and his lips on his.

He blinked. Gurjin was next to him, leaning over him. ‘Hey, Rian,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to clean you up, dry you off, and carry you to your bed if you fall asleep.’

Rian hadn’t quite paid attention to what Gurjin had said. It probably didn’t matter anyway. He was so tired, and so very happy …

‘I’ll just leave you lying here,’ Gurjin continued, ‘and when the Captain comes in for his morning bath, he’ll have you to look at in all your glory. D’you want that?’

At the mention of his father he all but jerked awake. He most definitely did not want that! ‘Sorry,’ he said.

‘What for?’

‘Falling asleep.’ Gurjin hadn’t fallen asleep either, had he?

‘Aw, don’t be,’ said Gurjin and kissed him on the cheek. ‘It’s only natural.’

Rian could not help but smile at that. He knew it was natural, but hearing it from Gurjin meant that at least Gurjin did not care all too much.

He had made a good point, though. It wouldn’t do to fall asleep here. Rian reluctantly pushed himself up and headed back into the water. Time to actually, for once, do what he came here to do.

The next morning, when they arrived at breakfast, a small group of guards whispered and sniggered to themselves when they caught sight of Rian and Gurjin.

‘What’s the matter?’ asked Gurjin, approaching them.

‘Did you two really take a bath together last night?’ one of them, a Spriton whose name escaped Rian, asked. Rian looked at Gurjin, unsure whether to tell the truth or not.

Gurjin made the decision for him. ‘Yeah,’ he said.

Sali was among the group, too, and she asked with a smirk, ‘Did you have fun?’

The last time she’d asked this, Rian had simply laughed it off. Now, he laughed, too, but it was an embarrassed, awkward laugh, and he could all but feel his ears folding. Did she know?

 _What does it even matter?_ he thought. _Nothing stays secret for long in these halls anyway. Might as well give them some fuel for their gossip. Keep them entertained._

‘Yes,’ Rian said. ‘Yes, we did.’

**Author's Note:**

> So this was the first time I’ve written anything like this. I’ve never written so much as a _kiss_ before! I’ve also never _experienced_ so much as a kiss (sadly), so while writing this, I kept getting anxious about whether it is even realistic. Thank you to Jay and Mos and my siblings and all the others who encouraged me!
> 
> Also, large parts of it wrote themselves. I started this out with pretty much only the concept of the beginning up until Rian getting into the water, and it sort of went from there. I swear, I didn’t plan for it to get this steamy, I didn’t even really plan for them to kiss!
> 
> I’ve got some backstory for this. This might be Rian’s first time with a man but it’s not his first time overall; that honour belongs to a guard Rian’s been seeing before she dumped him because he was befriending Gurjin and she didn’t like him. Also, Mira is not yet a guard at this point, but she’ll be around in another half a trine or so and she and Rian will hit it off immediately.
> 
> I’m getting the urge to write more stories, set in this headcanon of mine, exploring Rian’s various relationships. And maybe even Gurjin’s, too, cause he really gets around.
> 
> If I do, I’ll keep having Sali appear in them because I just like the name so much. (More female names not ending in -a please!)


End file.
